The invention relates to a process for continuously conching chocolate (starting) mass in a conche, into which starting material is continuously introduced and from which, correspondingly, conched chocolate mass is continuously discharged. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for conching the chocolate mass and for discharging same.
After being pretreated in the usual way, the (dry) starting material for the production of chocolate mass is intimately mixed in a mixing vessel (conche) for a longer period. Thereafter, the (conched) chocolate mass can be discharged to be further processed. A continuous conching of chocolate mass, i.e. a continuos operation of a conche with a continuous infeed of starting material and a likewise continuous extraction of conched chocolate mass is already known. DE-A-39 18 813 proposes to connect a plurality, namely three conches with one another for a continously running operation. The starting material is fed to a first conche, the partially conched material is fed to a second conche and finally to a third conche. From the latter, the ready-conched chocolate mass is discharged.
In this known proposal, screw conveyors are used as conveying means for the partially or completely conched chocolate mass. Each conche forms a lateral top overflow and each overflow is connected to a screw conveyor. The screw conveyors assigned to the first and second conche transport the chocolate mass to the (upper) inlet side of the following conche. The screw conveyor of the third or last conche serves for discharging the ready-conched chocolate mass.
Process and apparatuses for continuously conching chocolate mass have not yet prevailed in practice, the reason being problems occurring in maintaining an invariably constant quantity of chocolate mass in the conche. Moreover, the known solutions provide an unsatisfactory discharge of the conched chocolate mass.